A ROCESTER vet has raised hundreds of pounds for charity after overcoming asthma and the metaphorical wall to complete her first ever marathon.
Catrina Durose, a vet at Abbeyfields Vets in High Street, was determined to run the Liverpool Marathon after missing out on a place at the London Marathon earlier this year.
The 26-year-old completed the gruelling 26.2 mile course in a more-thanrespectable time of four hours, 59 minutes and 27 seconds.
Ms Durose told the Advertiser she was ‘proud’ of her achievement after her training schedule had been hampered by illness and as she had to overcome her exerciseinduced asthma.
She said: “I hit my wall at 22 miles — I just wanted to cry, my legs were so tired and hurt so much, but I didn’t dare stop running as I knew I wouldn’t be able to start again.
“I just kept plodding on through the tears until I saw that 25 mile marker, then I just thought ‘sod it!’ and pegged it as fast as I could to the finish line.
“I just wanted it to be over and to be able to say I’ve done it! I feel very proud of my achievement especially as I’m asthmatic and not a natural runner at all.
“I was even more impressed with myself that I didn’t walk any of it and ran the whole way and that my time was under five hours.
I couldn’t have asked for more — even the weather was great.” Ms Durose took on the challenge to raise money for Abbeyfields’ two practice charities — Hounds for Heroes, which train and provide assistance dogs to injured servicemen, and village-based special needs charity Rakemark Respite.
She was delighted to raise money for the two worthy causes but said she won’t be running again any time soon.
She said: “At the end of the day it was all for charity and I am really pleased to say we have raised nearly £400 for Hounds for Heroes and Rakemark Respite, bumping up our total to around £2,000 so far this year, which, for a small veterinary practice like us, is pretty good.
“I definitely don’t plan on doing another marathon or any more running, in fact, I despise it!
“I’m thinking of doing something new and different for my next challenge next summer maybe cycling, since I can’t ride a bike!”
Anyone who would like to support the vets in its fund-raising efforts and make a donation can either visit the practice or their justgiving page at www.justgiving.co m/AbbeyfieldsVets.
